STMicroelectronics Unveils Advanced Optical Interconnect Technologies for AI Clusters

STMicroelectronics has announced new silicon photonics and BiCMOS technologies to enhance optical interconnect performance in datacenters and AI clusters, according to a press release. These advancements aim to support the increasing demands of AI computing by improving performance and energy efficiency.

The new technologies are designed to address the upcoming 800Gb/s and 1.6Tb/s optical interconnects. STMicroelectronics is collaborating with partners across the value chain to develop a roadmap for higher energy efficiency in pluggable optics, which are crucial for next-generation AI cluster GPU interconnects.

ST's proprietary silicon photonics technology allows for the integration of multiple complex components into a single chip, while the next-gen BiCMOS technology offers ultra high-speed and low power optical connectivity. These technologies will be manufactured on 300mm processes in Europe, providing an independent high-volume supply for optical module development.

The company plans to ramp up production of these technologies from the second half of 2025, aiming to become a key supplier in the datacenter and AI cluster market.